TOUCH TYPEWRITING - National Institute of Open Schooling

[Pages:18]Touch Typewriting :: 31

3

TOUCH TYPEWRITING

3.1 INTRODUCTION In order to enhance operational skills in the use of computers, knowledge of efficient and effective keyboarding skills and typing ergonomics has become inevitable today. With consistent, sincere efforts and controlled environment, we can master keyboarding skills and acquire high speed. Keying data into the computer quickly and accurately, thus, becomes easy. In the previous lesson, you have studied about various methods of typewriting. Now, we know that with Touch Method of Typewriting, there is no need to search the key while typing and one has to move only the finger which is needed to strike a key. In this lesson, we will study about various types of keys, typing ergonomics and positioning of fingers on the keyboard according to Touch Method of Typewriting and use of typing software for learning keyboarding skills.

3.2 OBJECTIVES After going through this lesson, you will be able to:? know the different types of keys available on computer keyboard understand typing ergonomics identify positioning of fingers on the keyboard carry out speed development exercises to acquire high speed practice on typewriting tutor software

3.3 LEARNING COMPETENCIES After going through this lesson, you will be able to attain the following competencies:? familiarize yourself with different types of keys on computer keyboard

32 :: e-Typewriting

operate the computer keyboard speedily and accurately key data on numeric keypad efficiently develop ability to use typing tutor software

3.4 TYPES OF KEYS

Though there are several input devices viz. mouse, touch screen, character/ voice recognition etc. used for giving input to the computer, yet the use of keyboard is the most common method adopted for input of data into a computer.

Commonly, a computer has a keyboard that looks like a typewriter keyboard. However, a computer keyboard contains additionally certain keys which are also used to give commands to the operating system of a computer.

A computer keyboard contains the following types of keys:

Alphanumeric Keys

These keys contain letters and numbers on the keyboard. These keys are:

A-Z for alphabets, and 0-9 for numbers.

Punctuation keys

The keys used for inserting various punctuation marks are period (full stop), comma, semicolon, brackets, apostrophe, parenthesis etc. Also, it includes all of the mathematical operators such as the plus sign, minus sign, and equal sign.

Special keys Understanding the keyboard also means learning the special functions of certain keys. Commonly used special keys are explained as under:

Ctrl Key: The full form of Ctrl is Control. This key is used in combination with other keys. For example, Ctrl+S to save a document.

Alt Keys: The full form of Alt is Alternate. It is used like a control key. You depress Ctrl+Alt+Del simultaneously when you want to get out of computer as the application on which you are working is held up or muddled up.

Arrow Keys: There are normally four arrow keys to move the cursor - up, down, right or left. The Arrow Keys can also be used in conjunction with the Shift or Alt keys.

Function Keys: Normally located as first row from the top, these keys are marked as F1 to F12.

Enter Key: Also called Return Key. It is used to move the cursor to the beginning of the next line and give line spaces.

Backspace Key: This key deletes the character just left to the cursor position and hence moves the cursor to that position.

Delete (Del) Key: This key deletes the character to the right at the current cursor position or the selected objects.

Shift Keys: There are two shift keys provided on both sides of the keyboard for typing capital letters and upper case signs. (Lower case characters are small letters and characters shown on the lower left side of a key while upper case characters are capital letters and characters shown on the upper left side of a key).

While following Touch Method of Typewriting, if any upper case character letter of the left hand side is to be typed, then right side shift key is to be depressed with the little finger of the right hand and if right hand upper case characters are to be typed, then the left hand shift key is to be depressed with the left hand little finger.

Caps Lock: It is a toggle key that helps in typing many uppercase characters.

Esc Key: It means Escape which is used to exit (or escape) from programs and tasks and send special codes to different devices.

Touch Typewriting :: 33

Numeric Keypad

Numeric keypad is used when enormous

numeric data is to be entered. This keypad,

just like a simple calculator, is normally

located on the right hand side of computer

keyboard. It contains numbers 0 to

9, addition (+),

subtraction (?

), multiplication (*) and division (/)

symbols, a decimal point(.) and Num

Lock and Enter keys. Numeric keypad

may also work on dual mode. On one

mode, it represents numbers and on the

other mode, it contains various keys like

arrow keys, page up, page down, etc. Num

Fig. 3.1 : Numeric Keypad

34 :: e-Typewriting

Lock is provided to switch between the two modes. Usually, the keyboard of Laptop do not have numeric keypad.

Home Keys

As already explained in the previous lesson, home keys and guide keys are used in Touch Method of Typewriting. On a QWERTY keyboard, the eight fingers of both the hands rest on Home Keys during the course of keyboard learning. Alphabets ASDF are home keys for the left hand and; (semi-colon) LKJ for the right hand. The fingers are trained to make the correct movement to other keys and each finger returning immediately to its respective home key after it has depressed the corresponding key in any other row.

Guide Keys

On a computer keyboard, keys `F' and `J' are called guide keys for left and right hand respectively. Both contain a small raised tangible mark with the help of which the touch typist can place the fingers correctly on the home keys.

On a typewriter, the two keys `a' and `(semi-colon) ;' are called guide keys which are depressed with left and right hand little finger respectively. Initially we place the little finger on these keys thus guiding the placement of rest of the fingers on home keys.

A diagram showing the position of fingers of both hands on the Home Row is given below:

Fig. 3.2 : Position on Home Row

DO YOU KNOW?

Graphic tablets is an easy to use combination of cordless, pressuresensitive pen, a tablet and software that helps one to write and draw

freehand graphic and text as we work on paper.

3.5 TYPING ERGONOMICS

Typing Ergonomics are the factors which provide logistic support and comfort to do a typewriting job efficiently and effectively. They are important as the position adopted when operating a computer keyboard has an important bearing on the degree of accuracy and speed one is able to attain and maintain. Some of these factors included are given as under:

3.5.1 Sitting Posture: While operating computer keyboard, you should sit straight, slightly bending your neck forward. Be comfortable and there should be no tension in the body. The lower portion of your back should touch the lower portion of the back rest of the chair. Both of your feet should touch the floor. When typing, you should not cross your legs. There should be a distance of approx. 15 cms between two knees. Knees should be bent at 90 degree angle.

3.5.2 Position of Hands: Your forearms should be at level with the keyboard and palms down. Keep your wrists straight. The shoulders and elbows should hang naturally. The elbows should neither touch the body nor be too far away from the body. Elbows should also be bent at 90 degree angle.

Touch Typewriting :: 35

Fig. 3.3 : Typing Ergonomics

36 :: e-Typewriting

3.5.3 Monitor Placement: The close proximity of your monitor may lead to headaches, tense neck muscles, eyestrain etc. You should not bend your neck while working on the monitor and the upper border of screen should be at eye level. The distance of screen from the user depends on the size of screen. Approximate distance is 60 cms for 17 inches screen.

Fig. 3.4 : View distance from monitor

3.5.4 Mouse and Keyboard Placement: Keep your keyboard and mouse close together. The user should have an approximate distance of 20 cms from the keyboard, which will help in smooth and effortless operation of keyboard. Same height of keyboard, mouse and elbows helps the users to work comfortably.

Fig. 3.5 : Placement of mouse & keyboard

3.5.5 Chair and Table: . Both computer user's chair and table should be adjusted to an optimal height. Chair of computer user must be supportive of his lower back. Upholstery of chair should have a non-slip material. Keyboard and vibrating devices like printers should be on separate tables. Computer table should also have sufficient space for your legs.

Touch Typewriting :: 37

Fig. 3.6 : User's chair and table

Once an ergonomically correct workstation is ensured, typewriting effectively and efficiently becomes a natural phenomenon without causing unnecessary fatigue.

3.5.6 Placement of Matter to be Typed: In case you need to copy matter while typing, it may be either placed left or right to the keyboard preferably on a Copy Holder which has a sloping surface.

BALANCE BETWEEN MOVEMENT AND STABILITY

To avoid occupational hazards, it is important that you maintain balance between movement and stability of eyes, fingers, body,

hands, back and shoulders.

3.6 POSITIONING OF FINGERS ON THE KEYBOARD

As typing is equivalent to pen or pencil now-a-days, mastery of computer keyboard has become obvious. Mastery typewriting skills means to attain necessary knowledge and skill of keyboard operation by correct positioning of fingers.

38 :: e-Typewriting

Here, we will discuss the Touch Method of Typewriting on QWERTY Keyboard Layout.

Specimen of QWERTY Layout is given as under:

Fig. 3.7 : Qwerty keyboard

In the Home Row Approach, also called Horizontal Approach, all the eight fingers of both the hands rest on Home Keys during the course of the keyboard operation. The fingers are trained to make the correct movement to the other keys in such a way that each finger return immediately to its home key after it has depressed the corresponding key in any other row.

The thumb of right hand is used to operate Space Bar.

The keyboard learning process starts from the second row (Home Row) followed by the Third Row (Upper Row), First Row (Bottom Row) and the Fourth Row (Number Row). The fingers of both the hands have to operate the keys allotted to them on each row. It must be remembered that each finger has to operate only the key allotted to it. The process of allocation of different keys to different fingers on different rows is discussed below:

3.6.1 Allocation of keys to fingers on the Second Row (Home Row)

Fig. 3.8 : Positioning of fingers on Home row

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download